Meet Your New Capsule Wardrobe Stylist: Introducing Vi.Ve Apparel

This post is written in collaboration with Vi.Ve Apparel. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Show of hands: have you ever used a professional styling service for your wardrobe? No? Me neither. Like most of you, I’ve been struggling along on my own, doing my best to put my capsule wardrobes together in ways that make sense to me – sometimes with success, but sometimes not. A stylist wasn’t really on my radar, my thinking being that even if I could afford someone to help polish up my wardrobe and clarify my personal style, they wouldn’t really understand my whole ethos of wanting a small, intentional capsule wardrobe of high quality, ethically made pieces.

In my mind, stylists were trend-focused and not particularly concerned with the environmental impact or human rights violations that are so rampant in the clothing industry. I wasn’t interested in someone imbuing me with their own sense of style when I have such a fiercely personal and independent relationship with my clothing and getting dressed. I crossed stylists off my list of things I would ever need.

But then something happened that changed my mind. I fell in love with a vintage silk dress that I saw in a movie (starring Marion Cotillard, obviously), and I wanted to find a similar one to wear to a formal gala that I have coming up next month. I put an out all-call in my Instagram stories asking my followers if they knew where I might find a similar gown, or how I would even begin to look for one. Most of the messages I received were from other people echoing my own question. They had no idea how to find that kind of thing, either.

The response that stood out was from Vi.Ve Apparel, an ethical and sustainable styling service that specializes in custom capsule wardrobes, and an all-around fun and colorful account that I’d been following for a while. The kind folks at Vi.Ve Apparel had suggestions for me, sent me some potential ideas (all beautiful), and asked if I’d be interested in having them find a gown for me for my gala. “Styling is our passion!” they said, with enthusiasm and emojis.

That’s when it occurred to me: I could outsource this work to a professional. And I’d probably look way more fabulous at my event than if I’d spent my free time, of which I have very little, trying to find a gown myself. Knowing that Vi.Ve Apparel puts sustainability at the heart of their business made me feel confident that I was in safe hands.

So, for the first time in my life, I agreed to work with a stylist. And let me tell you guys: Vi.Ve Apparel delivered. My gown is stunningly beautiful. It pushes the boundaries of my comfort zone with the bright color and the embellishments, but in a way that feels exciting and refreshing as opposed to scary and uncomfortable.

My gown shown on a model with much better hair than me.

When we chatted on the phone about it, the Vi.Ve Apparel staff even shared some really interesting suggestions for how I could rework the garment to be more versatile after the event (if, say, I didn’t have the need for a formal gown in my closet after the gala – yay for giving old garments new life!).

I’m excited that today, in addition to telling you this story of my evening gown triumph, I also get to introduce you to Vi.Ve Apparel – just in time for the official launch of their online store! Want to know more about this unique new business and what they’re doing to make fashion more sustainable? Read on!

What is Vi.Ve Apparel?

Vi.Ve apparel is, at its heart, a custom capsule wardrobe styling service with a primary focus on ethical and sustainable fashion. A Puerto Rico based company with an online store that serves customers across the United States, they create seasonal capsule wardrobes tailored to your style and budget. In the process, they honor people and the planet by sourcing their pieces from responsible makers and vintage collections. Their tagline says it all: sustainable fashion from ethical brands.

Why Capsule Wardrobes?

The capsule wardrobe is a buzzy concept right now – and for good reason. Getting dressed is a lot easier when you open your closet every morning to see ten or twenty versatile garments that you love, instead of hundreds of random pieces that you don’t even really like that much. A capsule wardrobe is also a sustainable choice because it encourages loving and wearing what you already have. Shopping for new clothes all the time isn’t just a strain on your wallet and your time, but also on our planet’s natural resources (do you know how much water it takes to make a single cotton t-shirt?).

In a time when fast fashion reigns supreme and companies are doing whatever they can to lower their price point at the expense of human and environmental protection, Vi.Ve Apparel is working to slow it down, to guide people away from fast fashion and show them that style and sustainability can work in harmony with one another.

And lest you think this service is only for those already entrenched in the Instragram cult of capsule wardrobes and ethical fashion, let me be clear: this service is for everyone. It doesn’t just adhere to one aesthetic, one style, one set of trendy ethical companies. Vi.Ve Apparel exists to create capsule wardrobes for all types of women and to connect them with the sustainably made clothes that are right for their unique closets.

How Does It Work?

First, head on over to Vi.Ve Apparel’s brand new website and take a look around. You’ll see information about their custom styling services, as well as the fixed seasonal capsule that they stock on site with a lookbook that shows how the items in the collection come together to make 30 different outfits. You’ll also be able to shop their vintage selection for those unique, can’t-find-em-anywhere-else type pieces (see: my beautiful gown).

If you want to create a custom capsule wardrobe, you can fill out a form to make an appointment with the Vi.Ve Apparel staff. During your appointment, you’ll have the opportunity to discuss your personal style, your budget, and the type of capsule that works best for you. Typically, you’ll choose a package of ten, twenty, or thirty outfits depending on your wardrobe needs and your budget.

After your appointment, you’ll be sent a personalized shopping plan that you’ll have an opportunity to review and provide feedback on. After you provide that feedback, you’ll receive your final shopping plan with a budget and customized lookbook. Then you can go ahead and purchase your personalized capsule.

A note about budgets: Vi.Ve Apparel is transparent about the minimum budget needed to purchase each capsule wardrobe they design. Ethical and sustainable fashion is expensive, so you can expect those numbers to be pretty high. That said, the company is committed to making their services accessible, and so they’re willing to work with individuals on a case-by-case basis to find workable solutions for smaller budgets.

If you want to try out Vi.Ve Apparel’s services but you can’t necessarily afford any of the packages listed on their website, reach out to them. They’re nice people, and at the end of the day, they just love styling and connecting women with sustainable fashion.

Where Can I Learn More?

The number one best way to keep up with Vi.Ve Apparel is to sign up for their email list. Not only will you be kept up-to-date on promotions, new launches, and important store information, you’ll also get a ton of free content about fashion, capsule wardrobes, and sustainability. There will be articles, newsletters, lookbooks, and full e-books! You might even see the occasional contribution from yours truly…

Even if you’re not planning to buy a capsule wardrobe this season, the resources you’ll receive as a subscriber to the email list will put you well on your way to creating a more thoughtful, sustainable wardrobe. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m all about a good freebie.

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I hope that you’ll take the time to check out Vi.Ve Apparel and their brand new store today. I highly recommend signing up for the email list, but you can also follow along with them on Instagram. I said in a post last month that when you see sponsored content from me, you’ll know it’s with companies that I personally believe in and want to support – Vi.Ve Apparel is that kind of company.

Any questions? Let me know in the comments below or on my Instagram post. I’ll do my best to answer the questions that I can, and if you tag them in my insta comments, Vi.Ve Apparel themselves can weigh in or reach out to you via DM.